Has any one encountered this problem and found a solution?... So the black diamond whippet self arrest pole is sold as a single pole... because that's how its meant to be used as one whippet on one of your poles... BUT you can't buy a single non whippet pole, you have to buy the pair... so you spend the money for having to toss one of the poles... and you can't buy a whippet separate from the pole to put on one of your pre-existing blackdaimond pole... what a rip off... any solutions? or any poles you had to toss because you didn't need three that i could buy?

Here is one solution: don't buy it. I think it's better just to take an ice axe along. You can ski with an axe in your hand.I've never used a whippet while skiing. Those things don't seem to hold correctly for self arrest to direct the spike away from my intestines.Of course, I've said never before, and been wrong.Some of the bad asses on this site use them. I'm not convinced yet.

BD used to sell just the Whippet kit that you could install. I don't know why they stopped. Having three poles isn't bad, not every situation calls for the Whippet. On powder tours where we are out for turns I leave it at home. If anything the third pole can be used for spare parts, even though the uppers are a little bit different lengths. That being said, it compliments a mountain axe quite well. I like to use a short pole with a piolet, helps keep balance on flatter terrain, equal out the upper body help, etc. I'll take a Whippet on ice and mixed alpine routes, as a trekking pole for the approach and for the lower angle snow stomping. On certain ski routes, depending on conditions and company, I'll only take a Whippet. If I break a lower on that trip, then I can grab the lower off my third pole and still go skiing the next day and not fret about it.

Really? And how much did you pay for your boots, skis, skins, beacon, shovel, etc etc etc...???

Just keep the extra pole for when you bust or lose the first one and get over it my man.

Also plus one for this comment...

Some of the bad asses on this site use them. I'm not convinced yet.

- A mountain is not a checkbox to be ticked- Alpinism and mountaineering are not restricted to 14,000 foot mountains- Judgment and experience are the two most important pieces of gear you own- Being honest to yourself and others about your abilities is a characteristic of experienced climbers- Courage cannot be bought at REI or carried with you in your rucksack~ The Baron Von Bergschrund

I don't necessarily agree that the whippet is a rip-off; obviously you're paying for something (the pick) that could potentially save you from a scary situation that regular trekking poles don't have. Personally I do like using the whippet while skiing (the fear of stabbing myself somehow isn't the first thing on my mind when I use it though). I do think it's a great supplemental tool to using the axe while climbing couloirs as others have mentioned.

Wait till they come around on Tramdock, or get one during a sale at your local gear shop. Wilderness Sports in Dillon mails out a 20% off coupon once or twice a year... thatâ€™s what I used to buy mine with, took some of the sting out of it.

Early morning skin tracks in the Spring can be quite lethal, whippets shine in this application. They make me feel good on the down as well of course. After using one some this spring, I can see where having 2 would be nice for steep bootersâ€¦ more efficient than 1 whippet and your axe.

As far as trying to ski with an axe... that is not a viable option for the up or down in my opinion. Typically my axe comes off the pack only when the skis get strapped to it... if I had a second whippet it would likely get even less usage.

I do have to figure out how not to tear up my ski clothes with the thing though!

"Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb discussing what's for dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb willing to contest the majority decision." Benjamin Franklin 1755

I think a fair assumption on BD's part is that anyone looking to purchase a whippet is getting into some fairly expert terrain and therefore is advanced enough of a skier to probably own their own pair of ski poles already. Then you would just use one of the poles you already own along with the whippet. If you are looking to buy a whippet and don't own a pair of poles already, then you would probably want a normal, non-whippet pair for skiing in-bounds or for easier days in the BC and therefore buying a normal pair of poles is in your interest. At least this is how I would think about the situation if I worked for Black Diamond.

benners wrote:I think a fair assumption on BD's part is that anyone looking to purchase a whippet is getting into some fairly expert terrain and therefore is advanced enough of a skier to probably own their own pair of ski poles already. Then you would just use one of the poles you already own along with the whippet. If you are looking to buy a whippet and don't own a pair of poles already, then you would probably want a normal, non-whippet pair for skiing in-bounds or for easier days in the BC and therefore buying a normal pair of poles is in your interest. At least this is how I would think about the situation if I worked for Black Diamond.

cheeseburglar wrote:I think it's better just to take an ice axe along. You can ski with an axe in your hand.

If it's steep enough that self arrest may come into play, jump turning is the recommended descent technique. Not sure how one would do this with an ice axe, which is why they invented the whippet. I understand that the Swiss actually used to use a really long ice axe on early Alps descents. Can you imagine trying to ski with a 4 foot long wooden handled ice axe?

If I was skiing the lines that a few people, like RoanMtMan ski, I might try a whippet. So I'll defer to them. Louie's story is pretty convincing. I like a nice coulior ski now and then. If it's something I might need an axe for, I'd probably find another way or put on the crampons and front point down. If I'm stuck on something where I may need a self arrest to stop, I'm survival skiing. No pretty jump turns for me in those situations.Maybe that philosophy, my inappropriate behaviour at parties, and my non photogenic mug are the reasons I'm not a sponsored athlete...

cheeseburglar wrote:If I was skiing the lines that a few people, like RoanMtMan ski, I might try a whippet. So I'll defer to them. Louie's story is pretty convincing. I like a nice coulior ski now and then. If it's something I might need an axe for, I'd probably find another way or put on the crampons and front point down. If I'm stuck on something where I may need a self arrest to stop, I'm survival skiing. No pretty jump turns for me in those situations.Maybe that philosophy, my inappropriate behaviour at parties, and my non photogenic mug are the reasons I'm not a sponsored athlete...

I heard about some of those party antics....and I approve.

Some other great uses for this tool, picking up dropped gear because apparently I am too lazy to bend down, engaging the tour mode on my dynafits because apparently I am too lazy to bend down, cleaning ice and snow out of the dynafit holes on my boots, hooking trees when I lose traction in the skin track, and reminding tent mates that snoring ain't cool.